Self Publishing and Ebook Writing Tips

Technology has really made our lives easier for the most part. For example, the gift of internet has made the exchange of information rather easier. The data that is made available in the internet is staggering. In fact, we find it harder to live without the internet with each passing year. More and more of our much needed services are made better by internet, and by technology as a whole.

Another concrete example of the internet’s profound effect on us is the way article writers do their job. In days past, a typical writer would bang away on typewriters day in and day out. The modern computer changed that but writers are still chained to their offices for the most part. The internet change all of that. The internet enabled writers to work at home (or anywhere else) because said technology, as expressed above, enabled an easier mode to exchange information. Webpages also changed the mode of “publication” too. As of the moment, webpages are still threatening traditional modes of media.

Dangers of the Internet

The internet is one of the most revolutionary human inventions that graced our kind. As mentioned, the internet has made formerly hard tasks into easy and mundane ones. Of note is the nature of openness that so pervades the internet. It means that anyone with the proper device and the proper connection can access the said network. However, it is this openness that endangers its users.

News of hackers and viruses has inundated the airwaves. Simple viruses can be handled by free antivirus tools but the more malicious ones are harder to handle. The most difficult ones are purposely used by hackers who want to access sensitive data, mainly the private data of internet users to sell in black markets. But these aren’t the most dangerous ones.

To be sure, hackers and viruses are to be feared, especially if you’re work revolves around the internet. Writers which rely on the internet must guard themselves against said threats. Although, most computer viruses can be handled by more powerful antivirus tools and hackers are only dangerous if you’re specifically targeted. A hacker employing tools for a bigger target area easier to be exposed.

The biggest threats, presently, to writers and alike who rely on the internet, are the big organizations that collects data. Some nation governments are collecting data upon their citizens in order to check for any subversive elements. Some are doing so to preempt any national risk. Big software corporations are also using the data gleaned from users in order to feed said users with the fitting ads. Although benign, this sort of mass eavesdropping is still a bit creepy.

Protection for Writers

All’s not lost. Writers and others can still enact measures to protect their data and their articles. For one, writers can use technology that greatly eschews the internet. While this would involve backward technology, the benefits of going “out of the grid” is undeniable. This technique is best used in the minimum so as not to interrupt your workflow and must be limited to sensitive data and other usages.

One of the best tools to combat data sniffers is the use of Virtual Private Networks or VPN’s. VPN’s give users a private connection that protects said users from outside prying eyes. Basically, a VPN will give users a connection that is largely unreachable by those who seek to know the contents of data funneled through said networks. There are a multitude of choices when it comes to VPN’s. It’s always better to get the more powerful VPNS in order to protect your data and your privacy.

Performing is no joke; whether it’s for an MMA match or a guitar solo concert, it’s still nerve wracking. Unless you are an artist who has been in the live music industry for many years, you’ll definitely need to do a lot of preparations to ensure the success of your performance. Even professional artists do not skip the essential preparations for their respective events.

The truth is that it is not enough to just practice a night or two before the day of the event; this will only put more pressure on you as your body will try to adjust faster than it should. Hence, it is best to do the preparations at least weeks beforehand. In much bigger events, guitar players may even spend months perfecting their performances.

In this article, we will be tackling about the different preparations that most musicians go for prior to performing in an important live event. These preparatory rules are not absolute nor are they compulsory; at the end of the day, use only those which work best for you.

Preparations

Practice the songs

With the final list of songs you’ll play, take some time to play each and every one of it; not just half of the song but the entire song. In this way, you’ll be able to have a feel of what it’s like to perform the whole piece. This will aid in keeping you consistent even up to the day of your performance.

Simulate your performance

Do not just boringly practice your guitar performance in a way that is different than how the actual situation will be. The most effective way of practicing is by simulating the performance you expect to do. For instance, if your performance will entail a lot of movements from one place to another, you might as well practice this so that you will get the hang of it.

Take note of your common mistakes

During your practices, you will be able to determine the common mistakes you encounter for each guitar piece you play. Literally, take note of these and focus on improving. You might want to shed extra effort in these parts during your practices

Choose your equipment properly

Make sure you are comfortable when it comes to handling the guitar and other necessary equipment you will be using for your practice and your actual performance. Choosing amplifiers may confuse you since modeling amps compared to each other might entail a head-aching decision. The key is to stick with whatever you are comfortable with.

Finalize and test equipment

Usually, a good musician or guitarist is determined by his consistency. Consistency is the key to successful performances. If, during your practices, you’re able to play well without any serious mistakes, strive to maintain this consistency even as you get up on stage. Basically, the best way to be consistent is to ensure that your practices and the actual performance are more or less considerate of the same factors. Thus, the equipment you use during practices should and must be the same equipment you’ll use in the actual event. That said, you must finalize and consistently test your equipment.

Do your personal rituals.

Although not really applicable to everyone, many musicians, guitarists, and other performers do some form of ritual that will correctly set their system for an upcoming stressful event such as a live performance. Even on the day of the event, some may need to do some unique things just so they can mentally prepare themselves for what’s about to come.

Since the “in your face” burst of Ultimate Fighting Championship following the first season of the Ultimate Fighter launched the organization into mainstream status, the UFC has traditionally allocated certain weekends for major fight cards each year.

You can almost always count on the fact that Super Bowl, New Years, and Memorial Day weekends will play host to a major fight card. Obviously some cards have been better than others but for the most part each card has lived up to the hype that it was given.

This weekend in an all heavyweight main card as UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will defend for the first time since winning the belt from Cain Velasquez in November of last year. Former champion Frank Mir will look to obtain the gold that once sat around his waist.

But is that star-studded heavyweight lineup the best the UFC has presented their fans with over the years? You be the judge.

Last year, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt “the Hammer” Hamill headlined the holiday weekends. It was not the most entertaining fight to date but nonetheless the UFC scheduled the fight for one of their biggest weekends believing that Rampage would be a big draw.

Rampage fought two other times at the unofficial start of summer, once defeating UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell to be crowned the UFC’s light heavyweight champion in 2007, and then in 2010 he dropped a unanimous decision loss to Rashad Evans.

Both were big money makers for the UFC so it only made sense to send Jackson up for a third headlining event against Hamill. Evans lost his light heavyweight title to Lyoto Machida on May 23, 2009, never having the chance to successfully defend his title after winning it from Forrest Griffin the year before. At UFC 84 “Ill Will” future hall of famer the B.J. Penn defeated Sean Sherk, retaining his lightweight strap. For more info about the bout check out US Combat Sport’s glove review.

Could any fight have been bigger than to pair the two legends against one another, when the first UFC champion in history came out of retirement to take on arguably the best welterweight champion of all time in Matt Hughes? Royce Gracie was responsible for putting the UFC and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the map in the United States and he put it all on the line but Hughes made short work of Gracie ending the fight in the first round.

So, which was the biggest or best fight card to date? Will tomorrow night’s UFC 146 take the cake or was there another one that stood out in your mind?

So we all know that digital books have come along and basically “destroyed” the print book market. While this might be an assumption that most of us in 2016 take to be a fact, the statistics don’t necessarily support it. According to studies the majority of readers still read print books with older groups of people insisting on only reading print books.

While digital books provide ease of access and ultimate convenience, Hylas Publishing believes that books will always have a place in people’s hearts and souls. The feeling of holding a book in your hand bring something timeless that is hard to replicate. Perhaps this is base stated via a recent Mashable article about books ”

“But there’s something about print that I can’t give up. There’s something about holding a book in your hand and the visceral act of physically turning a page that, for me at least, can’t be matched with pixels on a screen.

Yet the writing appears to be on the wall: E-books are slowly subsuming the printed format as the preferred vehicle on which people read books. E-books topped print sales for the first time in 2011, a trend that continued into 2012. Just this month, Bexar County, Texas announced plans for the nation’s first electronic-only library. A recent study from Scholasticfound that the percentage of children who have read an e-book has nearly doubled since 2010 to almost half of all kids aged 9 to 17, while the number who say they’ll continue to read books in print instead of electronically declined from 66% to 58%.”

While E-readers are becoming prolific and some experts believe that our bodies and minds were never even made to read E-books. Experts are universities throughout the US have posited several ideas based on evolutionary science that humans lack the ability to concentrate properly when reading electronic books.

“Our brains were not designed for reading. Human beings don’t have pre-programmed genes for reading, like there are for vision and language.

Thanks to Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Phoenician alphabet, Chinese paper, and the Gutenberg press we’ve adapted and created new circuits in our brains in order to understand texts and letters.

Prior to the emergence of the Internet, our brains read predominately in linear ways, reading one page at a time before moving on to the next page. Distractions were minimal.

When we read text using e-book devices, tablets, laptops or desktop computers we must juggle multiple distractions (hypertext, e-mails, videos, and pop-up advertisements). In addition, a simple movement like swiping a finger on the screen or readjusting the mouse leads to moving our attention away from what’s being read. These interruptions may seem minor, but they nonetheless adversely affect our comprehension, reading speed, and accuracy.”

Perhaps the evolution to more physical books lies in using better quality material that is resistant to water, damage and the wear and tear of time. Paper manufacturers throughout the world have looked to Tyvek Based materials and replacements for a paper replacement.

Ebooks might be popular but as readers and lovers of books we hope and know that paper books aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Books are an intelligent man’s constant accomplice. However, books demand time. In this day and age, where people are constantly juggling between numerous tasks, it becomes quite impossible to find the time to read books and this is precisely where book to movie adaptations come to your rescue. Since the invention of cinema, innumerable classics have been made into motion pictures. However, there are only a few that have managed to make a lasting impression on the audiences. Here are the top 5 best movie to book adaptations of all time.

1. Lolita

Vladimir Nabokov immortalized himself by writing Lolita and Stanley Kubrick made ‘Lolita’ a household name after he adapted this classic into a film in 1962. Lolita is a revolutionizing film because it pushed boundaries and opened debates on tricky subjects like censorship and the portrayal of human sexuality on the bigger screen. James Mason and Sue Lyon did an excellent job of magically recreating two of Nabokov’s iconic characters — Humbert Humber and Dolores “Lolita” Haze.

2. The Godfather

Since Mario Puzo himself assisted with the screenplay of The Godfather, it was only quite expected that the film resembled the book in every way. The film can be seen again and again for its exceedingly talented cast which includes the name of stalwarts like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. This mafia movie traces the journey of an immigrant dynasty in New York. Here’s an interesting fact — when The Godfather was released in 1972, it included a coded anti-Vietnam message to stop the war.

3. Fight Club

It is quite surprising that this masterpiece did not fare too well with the audiences when it was released. However, it has managed to create a cult status over the years. The film does an outstanding job of portraying Chuck Palahnuik’s ideas on the bigger screen. Its stand on modern day consumerism and personal empowerment is striking and reverberates with the youth. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt’s acting is flawless and so is David Fincher’s direction.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s modern classic, which won the Pulitzer Prize, has been a favourite of book lovers all over the world. In 1962, Robert Mulligan decided to make this heart warming book into a film. Gregory Peck was picked to play the role of Atticus Finch, a character that has managed to stay with readers ever since the book’s inception. Gregory’s outstanding acting won him won him accolades and an Academy Award for Best Actor. This film should be seen again and again for its exemplary screenplay and flawless adaptation.

5. Schindler’s List

Schindler’s List is one of the best films ever made about the Holocaust. Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel ‘Schindler’s Ark’, this film recounts the story of Oskarr Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust. The film opened to great reviews and managed to win applause from both critics as well as audiences. Not many people know that Steven Spielberg was quite hesitant about directing this timeless classic. Schindler’s List powerfully captures the nightmare that the Holocaust was through its strong screenplay and cinematography. This artistic genius won 12 Academy Awards and is one of the most powerful films ever made.

While these are certainty not the only books that have been adapted into great movies, there remains to be lots of future opportunity for great literature and self published work to be made into movies.

Perhaps one of the best ways to enjoy these movies, isn’t in your living room but rather outside. We, at Hylas Publishing, have recently discovered the joy of outdoor movies. Outdoor movies are a great way to enjoy books-turned-movies while getting both fresh air and feeling connected to the earth. All you need is an outdoor movie screen and you’re good to go.

Have a great summer everyone and let us know which books turned movies are your favorite.

In a world shortcuts and misspellings – of “lol” and emojis – you have managed to overcome it all and show a passion for writing. We live in an amazing time for writers. It is a time where you can publish a book online in minutes and start receiving sales right away, where information is compiled and shared at an incredible rate on websites and social media, and where advertising has become far more personal and far less mechanical.

This is a great time to be an excellent writer. But writing isn’t necessarily about novels and journalism anymore. Now, more than ever, companies need writers to help them grow their business and improve their ability to reach the public. This is known as “copywriting,” and it has become a critical part of modern marketing.

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting is the writing of words (copy) for both print and online materials. These days, copywriting is almost entirely online. Copywriters write sales pages, blog posts, home pages, find guest posting opportunities social media posts, and much more, all in an effort to help engage with customers, share valuable information, and drive sales.

They are also an important part of search engine algorithms. Search engines rank websites by figuring out how well they are likely to answer a user’s question or needs, and the words on a website help search engines determine whether or not a website should show up higher in searches.

Starting a Career as a Copywriter

Businesses need writers. They need people to write blog posts, create new pages for their site, and help them with writing needs. They need writers like yourself to help them build their website presence.

If you want to become a copywriter, there are many different ways to start. Examples include:

Upwork (and Other Freelance Job Boards) – The easiest place to begin is by signing up to job posting boards like Upwork. On Upwork, companies and individuals post writing that they need completed, and writers “bid” on how much it will cost for them to do the work. This is where most freelancers get started.

Open Jobs – On websites like StartJobs or Indeed, you can find companies looking specifically for copywriters, and are willing to accept those without much experience. Some jobs are for copywriting companies, while others are for small businesses that need to hire full or part time writers.

Blogging – Another great way to start as a copywriter is to start your own blog about a topic that you’re passionate about. Making money while blogging is exceedingly difficult, but one of the benefits about blogging is that you can try to build your name and brand all while you find employment at some other type of career.

Write for professional websites. Some copywriters make full-time incomes helping write resumes or cover letters.

Often the best way to begin is to start with freelancing work and blogging, and build a brand for yourself. During this time, continue to read more about the industry so that you understand what employers are looking for, and then either start applying for jobs or continue to grow your freelancing business.

Copywriting is a highly valuable skill that many employers are looking for, and are one of the best ways to make a career out of your passion for writing.

When I first published a book, I was all excited. I’d check my KDP dashboard and update it hoping for sales. At first things were good, but then quickly after a month or two, my books sales dropped.

I’d work hard to breathe life back into them, begging and pleading with friends and family members to buy it and rate it…all the while working on my next book.

This cycle was absolutely maddening.

That was until I met Dave Chesson of http://Kindlepreneur.com. Dave showed me how the Amazon algorithm works, how do book idea research and ensure my idea will sell before writing it and the power in kindle keywords.

In essence, Dave taught me exactly what I needed to know to become an instant and consistent bestseller. And it all started with the best kindle software on the market, KDPRocket.com.

The Power of Kindle Keywords

So, what are kindle keywords?

In their basic form, they are the words that people type into an Amazon search when they are shopping. If someone is looking for a nurse costume, they’d go to Amazon.com and type in “nurse costume” and amazon’s search engine would find products and rank them.

Our objective is that when someone types in something that we think our target market would type in, we want our kindle book to show up first. The product at the top gets more sales than the ones below it.

So, why do we can?

Well to ensure the beautiful bounty of this natural evergreen traffic, you need to first identify what words people are typing into amazon, and then ensure that the competition isn’t so great that you can’t enter the market.

You’d make a killing if your book “How to lose weight” ranked #1 for that search…but what are the chances you’ll beat out the other 400,000 other books that are competing for that term. Nill.

So, the key to kindle keywords is that it has people actively searching using that keyword, that it fits your target market, and doesn’t have two much competition.

How does one find money making kindle keywords?

Well there is a long and tedious method that involves lots of math, excel sheets, time and advil. It works, but not as effectively or efficiently as a certain kindle keyword research software.

The best self-publishing software is one where it tells you, how many people per month type that phrase into Amazon, how strong the book competition is, how much money the other books make, and even gives you suggestions on better terms to increase your profit. And that is exactly what KDP Rocket does.

This amazing kindle software helps self-publishers discover amazing kindle keywords, validates book ideas, and ensures you have a pre-existing market that would be willing to buy your book.

Now, I’m not a scientist like its creator – a prior nuclear engineer, but I can tell you it works. KDP Rocket uses an the Amazon Best Seller Rank to tell you how much money a book is making, and some extra crazy tactics that involve “bot crawlers” to figure out exactly how many people per month type something into amazon.

That right there is some powerful information that can be a game changer for any self-publishing author who needs to find a money making idea.

Conclusion

So, if you are looking for the best kindle software on the market to help you find best selling book ideas and increase your book sales, the KDP Rocket is THE software for you. It’s cheap and is a one time pay deal (he probably could have done a subscription for this bad boy…thank goodness he didn’t).

Besides, look at all the big name publishers who swear by it, and are using it right now. So, make sure to pick up your copy and start gaining a competitive advantage over those that blindly choose their next book idea.

As a blogger who covers books and self-publishing, I have done my fair share of book reviews. However, over the years, I’ve noticed that just writing about a book doesn’t work. In most cases, the book is too obscure for people to find your post and in other cases, the book is too well known, and your review will have too much competition.

This usually leaves many a blogger mad with rage as they realize that they can’t seem to be able to cover the books they want and get the traffic they so desperately need.

So, where is the sweet spot?

In truth, it’s a little of both and by thinking about your next book review in this manner, you could gain more traffic and even better sales. In the following article, I will show you one simple trick that will help you compare books like a pro.

Combining the Best of Both Worlds in Book Reviews

Like I said, the best answer is to do both. I don’t mean write one review on a popular book and one review on an obscure one. I’m talking about writing an article that compares the two or a couple. In this case, you are giving someone a known standard, and you are comparing it to an unknown book. This gives people a reference and ultimately gives them a choice, which turns out, people like that.

Say, for example, you want to write a review about an epic wizard kid. Why not compare that book to a Harry Potter book? For those who love Harry Potter books, they might be on the prowl to find books like it. With your review comparing the two, you give your readers an ability to make that distinction. But it doesn’t have to stop there.

Study Guide Comparisons: FSOT

But book comparisons aren’t just for fiction. They can be stupendous for non-fiction. In most cases, it’s easier to do a comparison to two non-fictions. In many cases, a non-fiction works to address a pain-point for the reader. Therefore, as the reviewer, you just need to figure out which book is better at helping the reader solve their problem, be that stop smoking, become more effective, etc.

The FSOTPrep.com did an excellent job of comparing some non-fiction books. In the list of the best FSOT study guides, they compared 3 of the best Foreign Service Officer Study guides and ranked them #1-3 with #1 being the best. This is a great method because those who are about to take the Foreign Service Officer Test are probably looking to figure out which FSOT study guide is the best fit for them and, of course, the stumble upon this beauty of a list. In essence, the writer has made it super easy for the reader to look at all the pertinent FSO exam study guides and figure out which one is best.

Do you think those Amazon buttons are Amazon Associate links? Of course, they are.

To Sum It All Up

So in short, we reviewers need to stop being so linear in our thoughts. We need to look for things to compare with. This, in turn, will give your book review more exposure, more reach, and a set standard in which to help your reader base their thoughts on the book. This simple tactic will help you to get more traffic and even better sales conversions, which is what we book review bloggers want most, right?

The success of every business usually relies on how you market your products or services. Keep in mind that it is one of the most fundamental elements that keep the business going.

So now, if you’re an author and you wish to make a journey towards self-publishing, aside from being a good and creative writer, you also need to have adequate knowledge when it comes to marketing.

How can you promote your self-published book?

Generally, there are many ways of promoting your self-published book. It can be done both online or offline but for now, let’s focus on marketing online.

According to statistics, 42% of the world’s population has access to the internet in January 2015. See, with that percentage of internet users imagine how many people you can reach when you increase your online exposure.

Here are some of the strategies you can do online:

Build an Author Website

If you’re a newbie author and you have this greatest desire to become an established one, getting a website is a necessity. Why? Because it would be hard for your readers to build trust with you if you don’t own an author website. Also remember that in order to attract more attention and be liked by your readers, see to it that you make yourself reachable to them. In your website, make sure to have your contact details including your social profiles available for their access. Let them know about you, your passion, bits of your life, how you started your career as an authors and a lot more.

Newsletter

Sending newsletters once or twice every month is a good marketing strategy to let your readers/subscribers remind about you. With newsletters your subscribers get easily informed on important updates about your works and upcoming promotions and events. Services like MailChimp or AWeber can help you in the automation procedure of your Newsletters emails.

Social Media Exposure

Most people now have their very own Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts so it would be advisable that you also reach these people through their social media profiles where they spend some of their time (or perhaps to other people most of their time).

You may create your personal Facebook profile then create a Facebook page to brand yourself as an author. But remember, when you create your social media profiles DON’T just let it rot in the corner but devote at least 25 minutes of your daily time and engage with your readers. See to it that you regularly post some pieces like tips, inspiring quotes, related videos, hold a contest or giveaways, or anything that is interesting to your target readers to increase your page likes.

Be a Guest Author

This is another way to increase your online exposure. Guest blogging is one of the most effective online promotion strategies that work in almost all business niches. With guest blogging, you get to know other authors and they are able to read your ideas.

These are just few of the online activities that you can do to promote yourself as an author and of course your work. Other than these strategies, you may also engage with other authors through forums or through commenting to other authors’ website post. You may also post videos on YouTube like interviews or tips, or start a podcast. The most important thing is that you never limit yourself to just one medium but try various things to increase your knowledge and improve your brand and increase your connections.

There are growing number of authors who are getting interested into entering the world of self-publishing. Most of the time, the word “self-publishing” sounds very easy to most authors considering that it’s the greatest hype in the literature industry and lots of authors are achieving success in this field. However, they didn’t know that there are many elements involved and hard work needed even after your book goes live, just like the marketing part. And because you are a self-publisher, YOU got to do a lot of work on the marketing phase if you wanted to get noticed and sell more.

Whether you choose to self-publish or traditionally publish your book, these two ways have their respective pros and cons that relies on the author’s standing in terms of finances, connections and a lot more.

Here are two interesting info-graphics that will give you a quicker look into self-publishing vs traditional publishing and a flowchart that will help you decide which publishing path to choose.

Courtesy of: Pressbooks.com

Courtesy of: The Write Life

Now, seeing these two infographics about self-publishing and traditional publishing, do you have a general idea on which route to choose?

If your answer is “YES!” then, good to hear that and good luck to your decision.

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Hylas Publishing is devoted to help new self-publishers promote their books and hopes to add them in their marketing. If you are interested in Hylas Helping you to promote your book and boost its Kindle sales, then please contact us for a free consultation.